This annotated bibliography identifies and summarizes sixteen current articles portraying the technical writer. Despite the abundance of literature on the subject of technical communication, there is scant literature that describes and humanizes the technical writers—the skills they value, products they produce, roles they play, or industries they serve. The sixteen articles listed here, all published since 1980, paint a picture which may be of use to practitioners, students, educators, authors, and researchers.
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References
1.
AndersonP. V.What Technical and Scientific Communicators Do: A Comprehensive Model for Developing Academic Programs, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, PC27: 3, pp. 161–167, September 1984.
2.
The author of this article presents an abstract model for defining the technical communcation profession according to three generic factors: The practitioners' common aims, their characteristic activities, and the contexts in which they work. This model serves as a significant contribution to the technical communication profession. It is designed to accommodate the aims, tasks, and contexts of all technical communicators—from entry-level technical writers to publications managers. The author urges academicians to use this model as a basis for designing technical communication programs instead of relying only on the biased viewpoints offered by practitioners, educators, and published curricula descriptions. Includes an extensive bibliography of seventeen referenced articles.
3.
AntoineV.The Software Documenter: A New Specialist, Technical Communication, 32: 3, pp. 16–18, Third Quarter 1985.
4.
In this article, a supervisor of software technical writers (called “documenters”) describes a shortage of qualified writers of software documentation as a result of 1) inadequate academic training and 2) inattention on the part of writers to upgrade their skills. The author notes some skills particularly valuable to the software technical writer: A basic understanding of computer programming, the ability to interpret computer printouts, and the ability to produce flowcharts and HIPO (Hierarchy plus Input-Process-Output) diagrams. The article contains three tables of particular interest: Table 1 lists source material used by a writer, Table 2 lists software tasks a writer may perform, and Table 3 lists kinds of documents typically generated by a software technical writer.
5.
BarnumC. and FischerR.Engineering Technologists as Writers: Results of a Survey, Technical Communication, 31: 2, pp. 9–11, Second Quarter 1984.
6.
This article presents results of a survey of engineering graduates of Southern Technical Institute in Marietta, Georgia, to determine the frequency of writing and kinds of documents produced by them. The survey results reinforce conclusions drawn from two previous studies by Harold P. Erikson (1969) and Richard M. Davis (1977). Results show that engineering graduates spend 80 percent of their time writing on the job. Most of this time is spent writing correspondence, but time spent writing long reports, technical descriptions, and instructions averages 15 percent. Results also show that graduates consider writing instruction important in their occupations, but value organization skills more highly than mechanics or grammar.
7.
BatailleR. R.Writing in the World of Work: What Our Graduates Report, College Composition and Communication, 33: 3, pp. 276–280, October 1982.
8.
The author of this article presents generalized conclusions of the importance and function of writing in the workplace for graduates of Iowa State University. It draws conclusions from a 1980 survey of a small sampling of graduates in various disciplines: English, mechanical engineering, textiles and clothing, chemistry, and industrial administration (or business administration). The author compares the frequency of writing, the kinds of writing done and audience addressed, and the value of writing by discipline.
9.
CederborgG. A.Tinker, Tailor, Technical Communicator, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 14: 3, pp. 217–222, 1984.
10.
This article presents an intriguing perspective of the aptitudes of technical communicators and the professionals with whom they interact. This author describes a job and talent matrix used to identify the technical abilities, editorial abilities, and personality types of technical communicators. The author also compares the aptitudes of the technical writer with those of the technical editor. A simplified aptitude test is included for readers to complete and determine their appropriate niche in the job/talent matrix.
11.
CookK.Jr.Profile '85–Survey of STC Membership, Technical Communication, 33: 1, pp. 27–30, First Quarter 1986.
12.
In this major article profiling the technical communication profession, the author summarizes results of a 1985 survey of members of the Society for Technical Communication to determine a general profile of the society's membership and to identify changes from previous years. Questionnaires distributed to over 7,300 society members were designed to determine such factors as the typical member's sex, age, kind and level of educational training, key job function, median salary, years of experience in the technical communication field, and job satisfaction. The author compares 1985 results with those of previous years (1970, 1974, 1979, and 1983). Results show the typical member to be female, a college graduate, a writer or editor in the computer industry, and earning about $30,500 annually. A bibliography of four articles documenting previous years' surveys is provided.
13.
DillinghamJ. W., “Technical” Writing vs. Technical “Writing,” Annual Conference of College Composition and Communication, March 26–28, 1981, Microfilm (ERIC Document ED204788).
14.
The author of this essay discusses the ambiguities of the technical writer's and technical editor's role and introduces a new role: Technical author. Rather than trying to create the “do-all” technical communicator, this author argues that academe and industry should recognize that there are three types of technical communicators and should provide individualized training for each role. The author also suggests ways that industry and academe can work together to define these roles and better prepare new students for them.
15.
DorazioP.Impressions of the Technical Writer: A Master of Many Communication Roles, Bulletin of the Association for Business Communication, 48: 2, pp. 16–20, June 1985.
16.
This insightful article provides a first-person testimonial of a liberal-arts-trained writer's role as a software technical writer for IBM Kingston in New York. The author includes a brief process description of the tasks involved in producing software documentation, but of most importance is the author's insight into the various roles a technical writer (called “information developer”) plays in a software development company and the professionals with whom the writer interacts. The author describes these various roles as: Audience analyst, task definer, researcher, planner and organizer, synthesizer of information, technical reviewer, and production specialist. The article highlights differences between writing for industry and writing for academe and compares the writer's expectations with on-the-job realities.
17.
FaigleyL. and MillerT. P.What We Learn from Writing on the Job, College English, 44: 6, pp. 557–569, October 1982.
18.
This article summarizes results of interviews of 200 college graduates to determine the kinds of writing done on and off the job. Although the survey addresses many forms of writing (including business correspondence), statistics relating to professional and technical occupations and the manufacturing and government industries reflect the kinds of writing done by technical and professional personnel, the frequency of their writing, and their judgments regarding the value of writing as taught in college. Results show that professional and technical personnel write 30 percent of the time (more than any other occupational group) and produce various documents, including technical material such as research reports, mechanism descriptions, and technical bulletins. Twenty-five percent of their writing is done collaboratively. Graduates ranked clarity of expression as the most important writing skill, followed by grammar, mechanics, usage, and organization. Knowledge of general business and technical writing skills and business and technical formats also ranked high.
19.
GreenM. M. and NolanT. D.A Systematic Analysis of the Technical Communicator's Job: A Guide for Educators, Technical Communication, 31: 4, pp. 9–12, Fourth Quarter 1984.
20.
This major article lending insight to the technical writing profession records the process of and results of developing a DACUM (Developing A CurriculUM) chart to define the technical writer/editor's job function and significant tasks. Nine technical communicators from the Southwest Ohio chapter of the Society for Technical Communication identified thirteen general job responsibilities and 130 individual tasks. Surveys based on these findings were sent to 277 members of professional writing associations in the Ohio area to obtain information about the importance and frequency of each task and to identify those skills considered entry level. The article includes the completed DACUM chart; it is coded to reflect task frequency and entry-level and higher-order tasks. Two skills are considered so important that they were identified not only as entry level but as prerequisites for students entering technical communication programs: Demonstrated technical expertise or aptitude and demonstrated proficiency in composition.
21.
KalmbachJ. R.JobstJ. W., and MeeseG. P. E.Education and Practice: A Survey of Graduates of a Technical Communication Program, Technical Communication, 33: 1, pp. 21–26, First Quarter 1986.
22.
This article summarizes results of a comprehensive survey of graduates of the Scientific and Technical Communication program at Michigan Technological University to determine the technical writer's primary activity performed on the job, the kinds of documents produced, the value of the students' college training, and their salaries. The authors use these results to present detailed recommendations for technical communication programs. They also suggest that today's technical writers need to be versatile, adept in several media, aware of their audience, computer literate, knowledgeable of general business practices, and cooperative with fellow workers on team projects. The authors provide a fairly extensive bibliography of nine referenced articles and eight articles for additional reading.
23.
KlingLepick J., The Technical Writing Profession, Appendix 3, in Research in Technical Communication: A Bibliographic Sourcebook, MoranM. G. and JournetD. (eds.), Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, pp. 469–479, 1985.
24.
This essay is a starting point for anyone investigating the status of the technical writing profession and the writer's role within it. The book to which this essay is appended is a collection of bibliographic essays covering technical communication and its theoretical examination (Part 1), rhetorical concerns (Part 2), specific types (Part 3), and related or specialized concerns (Part 4). This essay (Appendix 3) discusses books and articles from the 1960s to 1980s that profile the “technical communicator” (a term that includes writers and editors) and identifies primary journals addressing their needs. The author groups bibliographic material in three categories: Professional definition and identity, professional status, and career guidance and preparation. Kling provides an extensive bibliography of thirty-nine books, journal articles, and papers; most, however, are published before 1980.
25.
KrowneC. M. and CovingtonD. H.A Survey of Technical Communication Students: Some Implications for Engineering Educators, Engineering Education, 73: 3, pp. 247–251, December 1982.
26.
This article summarizes results of a 1980 survey of 274 students enrolled in a technical communication course at North Carolina State University to assess the students' perception of the need for communication skills in their future careers. The authors asked students to assess their language skills and their perceptions of the importance of those skills. They also questioned students about short- and long-term employment plans, employment related to major field of study, and recommendations for technical communication courses. The authors use the survey results to make general recommendations about how to effectively include communication skills in a technical curriculum. Most students surveyed were electrical engineering and science majors (31% each), with liberal arts majors in the minority (2.9%).
27.
LittleS. B. and McLarenM. C.Profile of Technical Writers in San Diego County: Results of a Pilot Study, Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 17: 1, pp. 9–23, 1987.
28.
A major contribution to the technical writer profile, this article presents results of a comprehensive survey of 122 technical writers in the San Diego area. The authors emphasize that “professional technical writers” were surveyed, rather than engineers who write in the course of their profession. The survey questioned technical writers about the tasks they perform, the documents they produce, skills they value, audiences they address, and the companies they work for. It also includes questions on the working conditions, education, training, and salaries of writers. Results are insightful and comprehensive. They show the ambiguities of the technical writing profession and the importance of a writer's knowledge of both technology and grammar. The authors note the scant literature in the field to “quantify information on the people and work involved in technical writing.” The article includes a bibliography of ten referenced articles and essays.
29.
PaulL.Technical Writers Changing “Retread” Image, Computerworld, 16: 46, pp. 1, 8, November 15, 1982.
30.
This article describes the transition of the technical writer from an engineer bumped into a technical writing career because of dissatisfaction with the engineering field to that of a specialist with a degree in technical writing. In a news article format, the author quotes practitioners to point out that the nature of the writer's job is changing, as reflected in the new names “documentation analyst” and “specialist.” New technical writers have a different aptitude from those of the past, possessing good writing skills over technical knowledge. The author notes disadvantages and advantages of this new aptitude and also mentions conflicting viewpoints regarding the technical writer's professional status as compared to computer programmers.
31.
SandersS. P., Technical Writing in Academe and in Industry: A Study Undertaken Preliminary to the Proposal of a Bachelor of Science Degree Program in Technical Communication to be Offered by the Humanities Department, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, 1982, Microfilm (ERIC Document ED 227499).
32.
This significant contribution to the technical writer profile is a paper that describes results of a study conducted in April–October 1982 upon which proposal for a new technical communication program is based. The study adopted a unique, two-part approach. The first part involved conducting personal interviews with local technical writers and editors; results reflect the professional status of technical writers as profiled in four primary companies. The second part of the study involved distributing questionnaires to technical writing departments of selected companies, government laboratories, and government research centers within regional locale of the New Mexico institution. Beyond this, the last section of the paper presents questionnaire results regarding company hiring practices for technical writers, desired background and preparation of technical writers and editors, the writer's on-the-job responsibilities, and the employer's likely response to job applicants with degrees in technical communication.
33.
KeelerH. E.Centralizing a Documentation Group, Technical Communication, 35: 1, First Quarter 1988.
34.
KeelerH. E.A Writer's Readers: Who Are They and What Do They Want?, Technical Communication, 36: 1, First Quarter 1989.
